Political parties as membership groups

Traditional analyses of civic health do not count among their political factors for a healthy democratic society a vibrant party system. This Article argues that parties should be counted among the factors indicative of a democratic civil society. Political parties are "membership groups" that compete with all other membership groups for citizens' loyalty and resources. How ever, this Article argues that political parties should be considered first among these membership groups because they provide inclusive fora for public deliberation on the full range of issues on the public agenda. This position is distinct from more popular approaches to analyzing parties in the United States. The Article argues that the "Responsible Party Government" approach to political reform undercuts the very things in parties that are valuable. Moreover, while democratic theorists focus on equal participation in the political process, their approach is limited by its focus on the structure of the party system rather than on the nature of parties themselves.